Anyone preparing to run the Houston Marathon course needs to read this post! It’s everything I wish I knew in advance to have the best day possible. Even as a running coach there were lessons to be learned and every race was a little different.
Hopefully these few key pieces to help make life easier! Once you start to understand how much time training for a marathon takes, I hope you’ve already started looking at the right plan.
And then you start thinking…should I be training differently for a flat marathon? Yes. Is there anything different about the Houston Marathon course that I should prepare for? Yes.
I’m so glad you’re thinking ahead and hope these tips help you run a great race whether it’s your first or you’re out for a personal record. It was a PR for me when I did this course, which should make it a favorite…but man was I having a rough day!
Is the Houston Marathon good?
The marathon now has over 51,000 participants making it a huge race where they are putting time and energy into making it a great experience for you as a runner and it’s a huge crowd to boost your energy. Pulls towards you.
The course is fairly flat overall which makes for a perfectly good personal effort. In fact, they held the Olympic Marathon Trials there in 2012!
The average race day temperature is about 45 degrees Fahrenheit, which is an ideal race temperature. However, we all know that the longer you are on the course the temperature rises, which makes sense. Can exceed 60 degrees by the end. Which is too hot for some runners. Especially if you’re doing all your training in the winter.
It’s not even a walker-friendly marathon. Based on their cutoff times, you should be close to a 13:45 average mile pace
Houston Marathon Tips
Although I didn’t have the most fun ever in this race, that was due to poor fuel and things I didn’t know about 10 years ago! So in general, this is a course that I would recommend to a lot of runners because it doesn’t have a ton of hard hills and I feel like you have room to run with everyone without feeling cramped. .
As with any race, I have a few standard recommendations for my players:
- Try not to walk around a ton before the race.
- Have a pre-race dinner and breakfast with you or plan out, so you know it’s a meal you can tolerate.
- Don’t get confused with driving on the course 🙂 You should have trained for the height it looks like and that’s all you can control.
#1 train to the flats
One thing that many runners notice is that running such a flat race can actually be difficult. You’ll be using the same muscles throughout the run. If you’re training on rolling hills, you may find that things start to get sore or tiring.
In Colorado, I made a point of driving to an area where I could make a long run and only gain about 250 feet of elevation. because I Houston has only 225 feet of gain over 26.2 miles!
This doesn’t mean skipping hill workouts, but practice long flat runs.
We’ll talk more about the course below, but is the Houston Marathon hilly? No, it has a few climbs, but overall a flat race.
#2 Don’t overdo the expo.
As mentioned, the goal is not to be on your feet too much before the run.
However, Houston is one of the few races that still has quite a bit of spectacle. And man do I love a good show! I don’t need anything, but I like to see fun speakers like All Gear or Desi Lindon.
#3 Plan to get to the start line
We want to minimize time on feet before the race. So watch exactly how you get there.
We luckily had a friend who was willing to drop us off and it was a very smooth process for those who didn’t live near the start. My preference is usually to stay in a hotel near the start line as this is a great opportunity to warm up and shake off the 1 mile walk nerves.
There are actually many hotels near the convention center, which is why they don’t offer a shuttle to the start/finish area.
- You don’t have to worry about traffic or parking with road closures.
- You will have a short easy walk to warm up before entering the coral.
- You’ll fall asleep later than those dealing with traffic.
- You can also reuse your hotel bathroom at the last minute and avoid any potential inclement weather for a little longer.
Don’t be afraid to ask friends to share a room with you! Then you have someone to share all your nerves with.
#4 Race morning plan
A few things you need to know specifically about the starting area of the Houston Marathon. Everything is inside the convention center which is amazing to be in and out of the elements!!
security
You will go through a security checkpoint, like most other major marathons. Assume it may take a while. So you want to get through as early as possible, check a bag and use porta potties.
Bring only the clean bags you receive at registration.
Gear check
It was honestly a mess. I could barely fight my way through and then back away from people. I’ve heard it over the years as well, so if you have someone on the course with you, give them a bag and let the stress go.
Bathrooms
Expect long lines. I feel like maybe there are less porta potties because everything is inside or maybe you can’t find sneaky ways to get to a short line.
Hydration
Unlike other major companies you can use a hydration vest! So grab your vest, your hydration belt or your handheld bottle to ensure your nutritional needs are met.
Sit down
If you get there early, sit down. Don’t waste tons of energy standing around. (I made the mistake of doing this, huge waste of energy)
You’re about to run 26.2 miles and standing up gives you energy, and your legs hurt. Sit. wait. Then get up and do some pre-run stretches and get into your corral.
Throwing clothes
Yes, I know it’s Texas, but be prepared. Even standing at 40 degrees can feel chilly, and spending hours cooling down before starting a race is a waste of time.
Bring a mylar blanket or old sweatshirts, gloves and pants that you can throw away. Clothes are collected and donated to charity.
#5 Get ready to get up.
On the other hand, if it’s a hot day, check out these warm weather running tips to keep your core as cool as possible before you start.
As noted, temperatures are going to rise throughout the race. This, combined with your hard work, results in increased HR, which makes everything feel tighter. So it becomes really important to stay on top of:
- Drink plenty of water and electrolytes
- Keep fueling even if your stomach doesn’t want it because you’re hot.
- Grab any ice that’s available
#6 Houston Marathon Course Strategy
It wasn’t a scenic oh-so-pretty course, but it was fairly easy with only small gentle hills. However, the streets require you to watch your feet and certainly many of us experience ankle pain.
Corrals is starting
Since the first corral is open to all 4 marathon and half marathon runners, it can be a large group. Know your purpose and try to line up accordingly so you don’t get stuck weaving around people.
I found that this course opens up quicker than others, meaning you don’t feel like you’re stuck with people for too long.
Corral A starts at 7:01.
Final Choral D will begin at approximately 7:40.
Miles 1-2
Tall buildings like Chicago can throw off your GPS speed a bit initially. So dial down that effort level and remember that the first mile should be easy!
Limit your knitting.
It doesn’t matter where you start in such a crowded course people will need to pass.
- Try not to knit too much, it will increase the distance in your run.
- Just move slightly to the side and keep going
- If you run into a big bunch, it’s probably a fast group. If you don’t like all the skirmishes, try moving to the side to get away from the Pacers.
Miles 3-10
Steady as they go. Find your goal pace and stick to it. Even pacing is your best friend.
During mile 8, half marathon runners will take a turn and suddenly the course is going to feel a lot more lonely. Enjoy this time to check your breathing, your fuel, your energy levels.
You will be in and out of residential areas. Again this is not super natural, but can still be quite beautiful. And you often find some really fun stations in the neighborhood.
Miles 10-12
Starts with a slight incline and goes up the biggest hill of the day before mile 13.
Don’t panic about it. The initial incline is very low so you may find it feels a little hard, but you won’t struggle.
Slow down when you hit a hill. Yes. Keep your energy up and then blow it down.
Miles 13-21
Here you’ll have the occasional small rolling hill, but otherwise a nice flat section to keep you going.
Miles 22 – 24ish
This will be a mostly downhill section where you can take some time off if needed. Remember that you still have 2 miles to go after that, so don’t freak out, but if you find yourself a little ahead of your goal pace, just keep thinking about your effort level and adjust it. Let it happen.
From miles 25 to 26.2
WOHOOO in the house. You’re going to climb a hill and then find that the last 1.2 miles are completely flat even with a small downhill.
Leave it all there and see what you can do!
Houston Marathon FAQs
Do I have to qualify for the Houston Marathon?
No it is a lottery system. So you enter your name when the lottery opens (a few weeks after the marathon) and then wait a few months to find out if you’re randomly selected to run the next year’s race. will
When is the Houston Marathon?
This is usually the first or second week of January.
How big is the Houston Marathon?
Although it is not a world major marathon, it is a major race with 51,000 runners who complete halfs and completes.
The Houston Marathon course is awesome! You just need to go into it ready to accept what the day may bring!
Let me know if you have more questions! Glad to try and help.
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